I have a 5-years-old
boy and an 11-months girl. May God protect them from all harms! They are the
centre of my life and I am living for them. I recently found out that I am
pregnant although I was taking necessary precautions, but it still happened. My
general health has become weak. Since then, I am not being able to take care of
my kids and above all I am also working to help my husband make our living. I
have been thinking about having an abortion but I don’t want to take a wrong
step. Can you please advise me on the options available in such situations?

Answer:

There are two views
amongst Muslim scholars regarding the permissibility of abortion:

i) It is not allowed under any
circumstances except in a situation where the life of the mother is in danger.
This view is based on the Qur’anic verse that asks us not to kill our children
out of fear of poverty. (Qur’an, 17:31)

ii) The other group allows Muslim
ladies to have abortion within the first four months of their pregnancy for less
compelling reasons as well. The basis of this view are the ahadith according to
which the Almighty breaths life into the unborn child when it is four months old
in the womb of the mother. As a result, aborting it before that period would not
amount to killing a soul. Even if the second opinion is followed, there has to
be a strong reason to resort to it.

In view of the above
understanding, I would recommend that you carefully look at your circumstances,
including your health, before taking a decision. In case you think that
resorting to abortion has become an absolutely necessity which you must resort
to even if that would mean depriving yourself of as great a blessing of the
Almighty as a child, only then go for it. I know that it is a tough decision.
However, it is only you and your husband who can together come to a final
conclusion. My personal vote is for not going for it. However, I don’t know what
exactly is the nature of your problems. I would strongly recommend that you do
istikharah.

By istikharah I mean reading the
prayer (du‘a) of istikharah with its meanings in your mind for as many times as
you can especially after prayers. I am confident that if you will start doing it
with sincerity and regularity, the Almighty would guide you to the right
direction. If you follow my advice, don’t look for dreams after reading the
prayer of istikharah. Just keep doing it and you will notice that your mind is
leaning towards one of the two options. May the Almighty enable you take the
right decision.